Hi all...
Get the facts-- Dealy (as usual) has brazenly skewed truth in his letter to the editor in today's Pok. Journal...
Fact: Members of the public were allowed to be heard regarding our 700 proposed budget amendments at the December 8th full board mtg. of our County Legislature last year; specifically, the following members of the public were heard by legislators that night regarding our 700 proposed budget amendments-- Robert Wright, Gail Webster, Jacki Brownstein, Judith Schneyer, Stan Merritt, Michael Long, Wayne Nussbickel, Milo Bunyi, Rich Carlson, Gus Kazolias (and even County Budget staff were allowed to speak at the Dec. 9th full board mtg. of our County Legislature as well). Period.
Fact: This can be verified by anyone viewing webcast: http://www.totalwebcasting.com/live/dutchess/ .
Fact: Last year the County Executive refused to share with the Legislature which line items in budget were reimbursable from state/federal government; sadly the County Executive here continues this policy to this day, despite recent Poughkeepsie Journal editorial criticizing him for this-- and despite the fact that even G.O.P. Orange County Executive Ed Diana's budget helpfully contains this information.
Fact: A large chunk of our proposed 700 budget amendments were our attempts to deny top-level county management salary hikes proposed by County Executive and G.O.P. (even in the face of recession they wanted 'em!); the only way we could try to cut these was line by line; that's what we did.
Fact: "In February, a Poughkeepsie Journal investigation found the county will spend about $2.5 million this year on health insurance for 195 employees and elected officials who are not required to contribute to their own insurance premiums. If the new bill is passed as proposed, the county could save about $393,000 annually based on the 2009 cost, Journal research shows." [from Monday's paper--
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091012/NEWS01/910120328 ]
Need your help asap to rebut, folks (I myself won't be able to get any more letters printed 'til after 11/3):
-- 150 words to letterstoeditor@poughkeepsiejournal.com
-- 400 words to letters@freemanonline.com
-- 300 words to editorial@thehudsonvalleynews.com
[I can't do this alone, folks-- if you want me back for a fourth term you need to care-- and pull with me!]
Recall Sunday's PoJo editorial rapping Steinhaus-- "Cost Shifts Do Nothing to Help Taxpayers":
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091011/OPINION01/910110330 .
Let's not forget the truth about the horror show of a budget Steinhaus submitted last Nov. for 2009:
Poughkeepsie Journal Editorial (12/14/08):
"Steinhaus' $395.7 million budget proposal had elements that were simply unworkable." "He pitched his budget plan as a way of holding down property taxes - when, in fact, the plan would have raised property taxes on the local level by forcing municipalities to pay for more services."
Daily Freeman (11/3/08):
"A closer look at (Steinhaus' budget) shows the plan apparently fails to meet legal obligations, anticipates funding streams that don't currently exist and holds the potential for a shortfall reaching into the tens of millions of dollars."
Dutchess County Supervisors & Mayors Association (11/12/08):
They "met to discuss what financial impact the recently proposed 2009 Dutchess County budget might have on our respective municipalities. The sixteen Supervisors, Mayors and representatives gathered were consistent in their comments that day; the results could be disastrous. Specifically, shifting the cost of elections as well as the cost of routine Sheriff's road patrols to the municipalities may add tot he appearance of a zero tax increase for county taxpayers, but the fact is that it would only be a shift in cost to municipal taxpayers. The members of the DCSMA strongly believe that Dutchess County manages these services and should remain the taxing entity." "Adding the cost of County services to municipal budgets would necessitate raising municipal taxes, and likely force the cutting of municipal staff and services."
Joel
242-3571/876-2488
joeltyner@earthlink.net
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In other news-- this happened FINALLY last night!...
[I've been pushing for this for over a year; recall my http://www.petitiononline.com/cutlgpay effort; over a year ago I agreed to co-sponsor w/G.O.P. Co. Leg. Bob Sears legislation for 15% co-pay for co. leg.'s.]
From http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/October09/14/DCL_healthben-14Oct09.html ...
Elected Dutchess officials will pay part of their health premium
POUGHKEEPSIE - Several attempts at amendments failed, after noisy debate, but in the end, a law requiring all elected Dutchess County officials to pick up 15 percent of their healthcare premium passed, on a 23 to 1 vote with one abstention.
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